Just Because
by Dreamer852
Summary: "I love you." "Why?" "Just because." ... "Promise me?" "I'll never break it." - AtoRyo Royal Pair. OOC One-shot


**A One Shot (my first one as well), not very long, but I hope you like it (:**

**Fave and Review**

* * *

"_Hey Kei-chan… I love you."_ A soft voice spoke on the other side of the phone.

"_What's with you all of a sudden? Saying 'I love you' like that. Of course you love me."_ Keigo smirked, switching his mobile from one ear to the other.

"_Just because!"_ The recipient chuckled slightly; he didn't need a reason to say those words… did he?

"_Well… I love you too."_ Keigo said sincerely and he could almost feel the blush from the other line.

"_Good night then, Kei."_ A bashful voice finally spoke again after moments of silence.

"_Night babe…"_ The 'royal' smiled as the line went dead.

* * *

"K-Keigo!" a surprised muffled voice spoke as the said boy hugged his boyfriend tightly.

"I haven't seen you in ages…" the king murmured.

"You liar, we saw each other yesterday."

"I missed you though." He spoke the truth from his heart.

They stepped apart from the embrace and looked at each other in the eye. Slowly, Keigo leant down as his boyfriend's eyes clouded with lust. He captured his lips in a sweet yet mind blowing kiss.

Warm yet fiery lips clashed with cooler yet slightly chapped ones. Finding a slight opening, he pushed his tongue into the accepting cavern as the two eager boy's tongues tangled with one another.

Pulling the smaller boy closer, his hands reached up to intertwine with Keigo's soft purple hair.

A rustle of leaves snapped them apart, a thin trail of saliva drifting between the two. They looked towards the bushes like a deer caught in head lights. They looked on in anticipation as a small kitten tumbled out and the two sighed in relief.

Embracing into another comforting hug, the two bade goodbye before heading home.

* * *

"Atobe! Going out with your boyfriend?" Oshitari called out.

"Ahn, Ore-sama must not keep him waiting. Finish practice for me." He said before climbing into the waiting limo.

His phone vibrated as if timed and he reached into his pocket to pick it up.

"_Kei?"_ An out of breath boy voiced.

"_I'll be there soon, you didn't have to run…"_ Keigo smiled at the things his boyfriend went to the trouble of doing just to keep him happy.

"_I didn't want to keep you waiting; I would have been late otherwise." _Keigo detected a pout on the other line.

He let out an amused laugh as his boyfriend hung up on him and Keigo reached his destination.

Stepping out of the car, he saw his boyfriend waiting there patiently leaning against the wall. Looking around the busy street, Keigo quickly reached out and took his boyfriend's hand and dragged him into the nearby café.

Everyone moved out of the way when they saw the heir of the Atobe Corporation and the two stormed through successfully into the back of the café, where it was secluded.

Pulling him into a forceful kiss, the two poured their feelings of three years into one another. Their sweet moment was interrupted when a throat was cleared and Keigo pulled away to glare at the intruder.

"Ahem, would any of you young masters like something to eat?" the waiter asked oh-so-professionally.

"No thanks." Keigo answered quickly and the waiter seemed to take his pointed look and ushed himself away quickly.

The moment broken, his boyfriend placed another chaste kiss on his swollen lips and smiled, his eyes twinkling.

Keigo huffed in annoyance and looked away. Pushing away from the wall, he ran a hand through his hair, mumbling incoherent words.

All his boyfriend could pick up was; 'Next time…'

* * *

"Happy birthday Keigo." His boyfriend said softly. He pushed his hair out of his eyes and held up a messily wrapped gift shyly.

"Ahn." He smiled as he took the gift and started to unwrap it. At first, the gift seemed quite on the large size, but as he peeled off some of the wrapping, he soon came to realize that that half the package was from the messy wrapping.

Layer after layer he slowed pulled off while his boyfriend look up through his eyelashes in anticipation, hoping his boyfriend would like his gift.

"I love it." Keigo spoke after a while, holding up his first and best birthday present of the day.

"Y-you do?" his fingers twiddled nervously. It wasn't up to Keigo's expensive standards, but he'd done his best.

"A ring right?" The boy slipped the silver ring onto his finger and took up his boyfriend's hand, "You have one too. I saw it exactly as you walked in."

"Y-yeah… like a promise ring…" he shuffled nervously.

"It's perfect." He pulled the smaller boy into his arms. Taking in his warmth and breathing in the smell of him that he loved.

He felt his shoulder dampening as he heard short sniffles coming from his boyfriend. Almost instantly, he was worried and pulled away from him.

"Hey, hey. What's wrong?" he gripped his shoulders.

"I just… I just don't want to leave you. I don't want to forget." He cried.

"But I'm not leaving. I promise." Worried eyes looked into watery ones.

"No… but I am." He wiped his tears away, "Oyaji wants to go back to America."

"Ryoma. We will never forget each other. We have our promise for that." Keigo held up his finger with the silver ring on it and smiled.

Nodding, Ryoma pulled him into a tight hug.

* * *

_Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.  
__**[**__**Kahlil Gibran**__**]**_

* * *

"Bye Keigo…" Ryoma waved, sadness in his eyes.

Keigo waved back the ring on his finger glinting in the light. The two smiled as Ryoma disappeared into the walkway, looking back once.

Sighing at the immediate loss, he refused to let a tear escape his eye in public.

Quickly turning around, he strode out of the airport, people eyeing him curiously. Sending a snarky glare, they turned around and continued with their own conversations.

* * *

Two hours later, Keigo was leading tennis training. And boy was he training them to the limit. It was then a boy came running up, a portable radio in his hands.

"Atobe-sama! Please listen to this!" he handed the captain the radio. Sensing worry, he quickly plugged in the earphones and listened in shock.

"… _three survivors have been found with severe injuries, they are currently being transported to the hospital for surgery. One missing, he has been profiled to be Echizen Ryoma; he has golden eyes and emerald hair. If anyone has any information on this boy, please call xxx-xxx-xxx."_

Keigo ripped the earphones out and quickly dialled a number, all the while running towards the school entrance.

"Oshitari, dismiss the club!" he called over his shoulder.

**4 DAYS LATER**

"_An update on flight number 284, the missing pupil has not been found, and has been considered to be diseased." _

The T.V was switched off and a red eyed king buried his head in his arms. He hadn't attended school since that day. And by now, he was considering dropping out. He could already imagine his boyfriend's gravestone.

_[Echizen Ryoma, 1997 – 2013; a loved son, classmate and boyfriend]_

And just like that… Keigo looked up, his eyes lifeless as he stood up without a care.

* * *

**6 YEARS LATER**

Not only did he not attend his… ex-boyfriend's funeral, but he also found out that Echizen Nanjiro had been one of those lucky survivors and broke off all contact with the Echizen's. Nanjiro had been heartbroken.

"Master Keigo." A butler bowed down low from the doorway.

"Make it quick. Ore-sama is busy." The man snapped, flicking through a magazine.

"Ah, someone is here to see you."

"Bring them up."

"Yes, Master."

Moments passed in silence, as Keigo put his feet up on his desk, continuing to flip through the magazine.

A small knock sounded and Keigo sighed.

"Come in."

"Ah. Keigo." Ah shit. Of all people, it was Echizen Nanjiro.

"What." He now spat, more venom in his voice than he'd intended.

The ex-samurai stepped through the door. He'd changed. He was skinner, and for once, well dressed.

He cleared his throat.

"As you know it's – "

"I know!" he cut him off, "I'm not going. How did you even find me?"

"It doesn't matter. Just come, Ryoma would really appreciate it if you came."

"Appreciate it?" he was almost yelling now, "He's not even alive to appreciate it!"

Nanjiro's eyes glazed over as a shadow flit across he eyes.

"If you really think that way. Atobe-san. You have changed. And I once believed you were the right man for my son." Oh great, now they were back to the honorifics.

"Well, you shouldn't have expected me to stay the same."

"Take it off." Nanjiro was shaking now.

"Take what off… exactly?"

"That ring. Take it off… now." He choked on his voice.

"This ring has nothing to do with you."

"That ring. Is. Ryoma's."

"SEBASTIAN."

"Yes, Master?" his butler appeared instantly.

"Escort Echizen-san out immediately."

* * *

"Brat. He didn't come. But he still loves you. He still kept your promise." Nanjiro knelt in front of his son's grave, a fresh bouquet of flowers nestled against the head stone. Next to it, Rinko's grave rested peacefully beside it. Why did it have to be him that survived?

There had been no trace of Ryoma after the crash. While his grave was empty, Rinko's, sadly, was filled. Nanjiro, with an empty, heavy heart, stood up and walked away.

* * *

**3 MONTHS LATER**

"Ah… it's so hot." A man, with piercing golden eyes fanned himself with a Fila cap.

Looking around the busy airport, he spotted a man sitting on a chair, reading a newspaper.

"Excuse me?" he walked over and tapped him on the shoulder, "Mind telling me where the – "

"Turn left until you reach the escalators then go out the doors on the right." He man huffed, obviously annoyed by the disturbance.

"Thank you." He spoke the native language with a thick, American accent.

Following through with the directions, he soon found himself standing in front of a hotel. Walking in, he spotted someone so familiar, but he couldn't quite put a finger on it.

"Hi, how may I help you?" a girl with a soft voice and a brunette bob asked. Her name tag screamed Ryuuzaki, but his head hurt, just trying to recall memories.

He'd woken up in a small room just over six years ago, remembering nothing but Japan, and Keigo Atobe.

"Ah, room for one?"

"Sure, name and ID please?"

"Uh… Atobe Keigo." He flashed his ID card and handed her a credit card.

"A-Atobe?" she looked at him in surprise.

"I'm sorry… do I know you?" He brushed his bleached fridge out of his eyes.

"N-no… I don't think I do." She flushed, hurriedly typing his information on the computer.

"Thank you." He nodded slightly as he received his room key and headed for the elevator.

* * *

Keigo scowled as yet another person bumped into him. But this time, he paused in his tracks. Something seemed so familiar about that person, but he couldn't quite put a finger on it.

Entering one of the hotels he worked at, he walked briskly up to the counter.

"So," he took a quick peek at her name tag, "Ryuuzaki-san, mind telling me why you've called?" he leant against the counter.

"A-ah! Atobe-sama! Someone just booked a room claiming to be… Atobe Keigo." She fidgeted. He sighed.

"And what is person's room number?"

"S-sorry, he came and then left only a few minutes later after putting his bags away." She looked frantic now.

He lifted up his arm to check the time. "I have a meeting in five. I'll be back tomorrow." It wasn't the first time someone had tried to steal his identity.

"Y-yes. I apologize, Atobe-sama!" she squeaked as he left, her eyes flicking towards the door, "Ah! Wait, that's him!" she pointed to the man who'd just entered the building.

He looked up and blinked innocently. "I'm sorry… what?" he took a step back as Keigo advanced on him.

"Who are you really?" he interrogated.

"A-Atobe Keigo. Why do you ask?" he muttered, his Japanese slightly off.

"If you must know. I am Atobe Keigo. Not you. Me. So, instead of making it worse, why don't you tell the truth before the term 'prison' is involved?"

"I- I don't know…" he shrugged.

"You don't know?" Keigo asked, incredulous.

"Sorry." The man mumbled a short apology before walking off.

It was then Keigo realized it was him that bumped into him seven minutes ago. And now, he was late for his meeting.

* * *

The internet was so useful. The golden eyed man had been lounging in his hotel room for a while now. Curious, he'd rented a laptop and searched up a few dates. Starting with the day he woke up.

The first thing that had popped up was a diseased woman. She seemed to be famous and it was her birthday.

The second top hit… it hadn't worked. The link was disconnected. So instead he searched up 'Flight 284' in Google images.

A loud crash was heard as he fell off his chair and scrambled back up again to peek at the first image.

It was him... back when he had emerald hair.

Quickly opening a new tab, he continued his search, eyes widening as more and more memories came flooding back.

* * *

"Master Atobe. Someone is here to see you."

"You know what to do." He sat up from his desk chair. Someone at this hour? It was ten to midnight.

The door was flung open and a bleached blonde boy stood there.

"Keigo. Are. You. Keigo." He said it as more of a statement as he breathed heavily.

"Ahn? You dare storm into Ore-sama's room?"

"Keigo. You once made a promise."

"Yes, but that promise was broken." Keigo studied his nails.

"Tell me… tell me who made that promise."

"Ahn... and why should I? To a mere peasant… a stranger of all people." He raised an eyebrow.

"Who?" the man urged.

"SEBASTIAN." He called.

"Wait no…" the blonde said frantically as his butler pulled him away, "I- I think I love you." He whispered quietly.

"Excuse me?" Keigo was taken aback.

"Six years, three months, and four days ago." The man breathed, his golden eyes flashing, "I forgot something important to me."

Keigo eyed his butler and he bowed before walking off. It was then the king saw a flash of silver as the 'imposter' lifted up his right hand.

"Years ago. I forgot something important to me. The first thing I realised I was wearing when I woke up… was this ring. It's a promise ring. Just like the one you have, on the same hand, on the same finger." His hand was held out to prove his words. His face was flushed and his eyes were wide in anticipation. Those same eyes who looked up at him on his birthday.

"Ryoma?" Keigo's breath was taken away. He couldn't believe he'd missed the resemblance earlier.

Ryoma was alive.

He jumped up from his chair and rushed towards Ryoma, pulling him into the tightest hug of a lifetime.

"Keigo…?" he heaved out. It took the said man all his might not to attack him right there.

"Ryoma." He mumbled, "I love you…"

A smirk crept up Ryoma's face as he finally hugged back, "And why is that?" he whispered.

"Just because." Keigo pulled back and swooped in to kiss Ryoma, "Yep, just because." He mumbled against his lips.

**FIN**


End file.
